A group of 25-30 BJP members allegedly slapped assistant municipal commissioner of R-North and R-Central wards Santoshkumar Dhonde Tuesday afternoon in the presence of three party corporators and deputy mayor Mohan Mithbaonkar. The BJP corporators present were R-North ward committee chairman Manisha Chaudharim,Bina Doshi and Pravin Shah.

Dhonde said the incident took place after a ward committee meeting in R-Central ward at Kora Kendra. On the request of the deputy mayor and BJP corporators I went to visit the area where a man had been fasting to protest delay in resurfacing of a road dug up by utility service providers. I was ready to commit in writing the work will be done in seven days, he said.

The ward officer was about to leave the site when 25-30 supporters of BJP MLA Gopal Shetty,including Jagdish Patel,approached him. I assured them I will do the work but he (Patel) kept abusing me and BMC. I turned away as I did not want to make a scene but suddenly I was slapped, said Dhonde.

The officer has lodged a complaint at Borivali police station.

A civic official accompanying Dhonde said it was more disturbing that no one came to the aid of the stunned ward officer.

This took place in front of three BJP corporators and the deputy mayor but no one said or did anything, he said.

Mithbaonkar claimed none of the BJP corporators were around when the incident took place. We were convincing the protesting citizen to go home. Jagdish Patel was with us. I do not know if anyone from BJP was present. It is an unfortunate incident and we in the party are sorry for what happened to the ward officer, he said.